Strength training, which preserves and enhances lean muscle mass, is an important part of an overall fitness program or workout regimen. Of course, a strength-training program that targets the major muscle groups typically requires a gym' worth of equipment and a considerable amount of the user's time. Among the various strength-training exercises, the push-up is the quintessential upper-body exercise because it targets the large upper-body pectoral and triceps muscles. Done properly, the basic push-up also increases upper back strength and shoulder proprioception.
Devices that improve upon the basic pushup are well-known. For example, the most basic device allows the user to grasp a pair of handles positioned on the floor. The handles raise the position of the user's hands by several inches and thereby increase the range of motion as the user lowers his or her chest to the floor, past the position of the hands. This not only stretches the muscles but also requires additional exertion to raise the chest back to the starting position. Other push-up devices utilize rotating handles which arguably allow the user's arms to move more naturally and engage more muscles. Unfortunately, these devices only increase the range of motion of the hands, wrists, and forearms and otherwise do not develop muscle groups apart from those engaged with a traditional pushup. Further, both fixed-handle and rotating-handle push-up devices lack versatility because they are not adaptable for use with other strength-training exercises. They also require the user to store or travel with two separate bulky devices despite the devices being useful for only a single exercise. These push-up devices are also designed to provide the user with stable contact with the floor or ground, even though it may be desirable for a push-up device to be relatively unstable in order to develop muscles involved in balancing the body and enhancing motor skills and balancing coordination.
Other known push-up devices improve upon the aforementioned devices by providing an inflatable base. The inflatable base is intended to provide cushioning and also introduces an element of instability. These inflatable bases do not have an outer surface that is conducive for a large angular rotation with respect to the ground surface. Therefore, these devices provide an element of instability that is unforgiving of a user's orientating of the device beyond a certain degree of tilt, thereby providing an unsafe and dangerous device when the device is being used. Otherwise, the device suffers from the disadvantages of similar push-up devices having handles.
Most known push-up devices also fail to provide users the ability to transform into other workout devices that stimulate various other muscle groups. In this vein, those devices lack the ability for the user to effectively and efficiently add weight so they can be used in a progressive workout regime that may include weight training exercises such as bicep curls, chest presses, squats, etc.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above.